Vertical signal indicator system



Jan. 30, 1968 s. H. CLASON VERTICAL SIGNAL INDICATOR SYSTEM OriginalFiled Aug. 15, 1962 I INVENTOR. da /#73? (70.90 gw ezw ram/7 UnitedStates Patent 3,366,089 VERTICAL SIGNAL INDICATOR SYSTEM Berti] H.Clason, Flint, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application Aug. 15, 1962,Ser. No. 217,079, now Patent No. 3,180,309, dated Apr. 27, 1965. Dividedand this application Sept. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 400,069

2 Claims. (Cl. 116116) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A system forindicating by the attained vertical position of a pointer located nearthe field of View of an operator that a predetermined value has beenattained.

This invention relates to indicator systems and more particularly toindicator systems in which a pointer and dial are cooperatively relatedto supply a vertical indication of the extent of some value attainedsuch as speed. The invention is herein illustrated as employed inspeedometer systems for automobiles but it is obvious that the inventioncould be used in systems for indicating an extent of variable value orcondition being measured other than speed such as pressure, elevation,flow of current in an electrical circuit, or a damper position, thesebeing recited merely as examples. This is a division of the UnitedStates patent application Ser. No. 217,079 filed Aug. 15, 1962 nowmatured into Patent 3,180,309 granted April 27, 1965.

Audible and automatic speed warning devices have become common asaccessories in modern automobiles. Such a device, as heretoforedeveloped, requires a driver unduly to divert his attention from theroad and watch his speedometer or constantly listen to the audiblewarning if he desires to maintain his speed at a predetermined ordesired miles per hour rate.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved indicatorsystem requiring a minimum diversion of an operators attention in themaintaining of a preselected speed or other value or condition.

To this end, the present invention contemplates the use of indicatormeans adapted to serve with maximum convenience, while verticallydisposed, as a visual indicator that the extent of a value or conditionas selected has been attained, the indicator means constituting twospeedometers one of which is close to an operators field of view and theother being a main graduated or dial instrument located away from thatfield of view but facing the same general direction as the one indicatorfor observation from the same vantage point.

These and other important features of the invention will now bedescribed in detail in the specification and then pointed out moreparticularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view showing portions of an automobileinstrument panel and windshield and illustrating one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view looking in the direction of thearrows 2-2 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 33in FIGURE 2.

In FIGURES l, 2, and 3, a main and standard type speedometer 50 islocated in fixed nonrotative position on 3,366,039 Patented Jan. 30,1968 the automobile instrument panel 52 and is adapted in a conventionalmanner to give miles per hour readings.

A Y-connection 53 is shown through which two instruments are driveninthis case, two speedometers. Between a windshield 54 and a top shelf 56of the panel 52 is located a vertical transparent window or fixed dial58 through which a pointer 60 of a second speedometer or indicator 62 isobservable to the operator. This pointer is fixed to the end of a shaft64 of the speedometer to rotate therewith.

A hairspring 66 of more sensitivity than that of a standard speedometeris used in order to gain a larger angular sweep of the pointer 60. Theusual magnet 68 and speed cup 70 are employed as taught in the UnitedStates Patent No. 2,627,401, granted Feb. 3, 1953, in the name of HenryH. Harada and entitled, Speed Cup Bias Spring. The field cup 72 andcasing 74, however, are rotatable within a fixed supporting casing 76 bymeans of a pulley 77 and a belt 78. The latter may be actuated by ahandknob 80. An inner top casing 82 encloses the speedometer 62 and thepulley connection. A lamp 84 is so mounted as to illuminate the pointer60 through an opening 36 in the shelf 56.

No calibration of the second speedometer 62 is needed other than thatperformed by the operator in actuating the knob 80. If the operatordesires to go at thirty-five miles per hour, his regular speedometer 50will tell when that speed is reached upon which he will turn the knobuntil the pointer 60 is vertical. Reference marks 88 for straight up anddown and at angles with the vertical aids the driver in maintaining apreselected speed or other than that conforming with but near that ofthe vertical position of the pointer 60.

I claim:

1. An indicator system on an automobile having a windshield above aninstrument panel, said system comprising two speedometers mounted onsaid panel to face the same general direction, one of said speedometersbeing below the other and observable on said panel for readings from thedrivers vantage point, the other speedometer being close to saidwindshield and having a fixed supporting casing and dial, a field cuprotatably mounted within said casing, a hairspring having one endattached to said field cup, a shaft coaxially mounted within said fieldcup and fixed to the other end of said hairspring, a pointer and a speedcup fixed to said shaft to rotate therewith, said pointer beingobservable from said vantage point and said speed cup being coaxiallymounted within said field cup, a magnet coaxially mounted within saidspeed cup, a common rotational driving means connected to said onespeedometer and said magnet, said hairspring being of such sensitivityas to act on said pointer over a speed range smaller and within thatcovered by said one speedometer, and means connected to said field cupfor rotating said field cup and said one end of said hairspring relativeto said fixed supporting casing whereby a vertical reading of theposition of said pointer will conform with a preselected reading on saidone speedometer within said smaller speed range.

2. An indicator system as set forth in claim 1, said means connected tosaid field cup being a manually rotatable knob and driving meansconnecting said knob to said field cup, and said knob being mounted onsaid panel at a lever lower than that of said other speedometer.

(References on following page) References (Iited UNITED STATES PATENTSJohnson 244-13 Berg 73498 Mackay 116129 Bosch 73498 Dvorkin 116-57 43,180,309 4/1965 Clason 116-116 3,247,724 4/1966 Powell 73498 FOREIGNPATENTS 1,035,163 4/1953 France.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

